One type of vehicle safety system is an occupant protection system. The protection system includes one or more actuatable protection devices for protecting (e.g., restraining) an occupant of a vehicle. Examples of such protection devices include an air bag module, a knee bolster module, and a seat belt pretensioner module.
As the sophistication of occupant protection systems has increased, the number and complexity of the protection devices in a single vehicle has increased. In response to the increased number and complexity of devices, there has been a movement toward centralized control of the devices to reduce cost and to increase reliability of the overall protection system. In order to accomplish the centralized control, a bus architecture is used for conveyance of communication signals. A potential exists that bus communications may be interrupted by such occurrences as crushing during a vehicle collision and associated deployment actuation of the protection devices within the system.
Also, because of the increase in the number and complexity of the devices within a single system, the number of connections that must be completed during assembly of a vehicle has increased. Thus, there are needs for increased efficiencies regarding assembly manufacturing of such systems. For example, it is desirable that connections be robust such that workers on a manufacturing assembly line can expediently make necessary connections. Also, components that can be used within more than one vehicle platform permit efficiencies via standardization.